The Charlotte Hornets beat the Sacramento Kings 134-90 on Tuesday night at Spectrum Center, improving to 38-34 with 10 games remaining. It was their fourth consecutive win.
Sacramento dressed eight players — the league minimum. Ten Kings were listed as out, including Domantas Sabonis, De'Andre Hunter, Zach LaVine, Keegan Murray, and Russell Westbrook. Charlotte led 72-47 at halftime, and the game was effectively over well before that. Malik Monk, the former Hornet, finished with a career-high 14 assists for Sacramento; Daeqwon Plowden led the Kings with 22 points.
None of that changes what Charlotte's players did with the minutes they had.
Coby White's Best Game Since His Return
White scored 27 points on 9-of-12 shooting, including six three-pointers, in his most complete game since the injury that limited him to 11 appearances this season. He added five rebounds off the bench.
Charlotte needs bench scoring for the play-in push. White just showed the building he can still provide it.
LaMelo Ball Passed Dell Curry
Ball finished with 20 points, eight assists, six rebounds, and two steals. He went 6-of-13 from three-point range — and in doing so, passed Dell Curry's 929 career three-pointers to move into second place on the franchise's all-time list.
The next name above him is Kemba Walker, at 1,283. Ball is 24 years old and has played 61 of 72 games this season — the healthiest stretch of his professional career. The distance between second and first is 352 three-pointers, roughly a season and a half at his current pace. He won't catch Walker this year. The fact that the target is visible says something about where Ball sits in franchise history.
26 Three-Pointers
Charlotte's 26 threes tied the franchise record set March 14, 2025, at San Antonio. Kon Knueppel hit four of them, pushing his season total to 247 — second in franchise history for three-pointers made in a single season. He needs 14 to pass Walker.
Ryan Kalkbrenner had a shot at breaking the tie. With about a minute remaining and the outcome settled, he launched a corner three that hit the back rim and bounced away. The record holds at 26.
Moussa Diabaté added 17 points and 11 rebounds. The double-double was efficient and quiet, which is what Diabaté does.
Where Charlotte Stands
The Hornets are 10th in the Eastern Conference, two games behind a cluster of teams — Atlanta, Miami, Philadelphia, and Orlando — fighting for seeds six through nine. Charlotte's stretch-run math hasn't changed: the Knicks visit is Wednesday, then Saturday at Philadelphia and Sunday at Boston in the back-to-back that will define the next two weeks.
A 44-point win over a team missing its rotation doesn't move projections. But an 11-point win over a Knicks team riding a seven-game streak does. Coby White's return to form, Ball's durability, and Knueppel's breakout — those carry forward regardless of opponent.
(Update: Knueppel broke Walker's franchise three-point record on April 2 against Phoenix — 261 and counting.)